Company Secretary popularly known as CS is the most popular course for the students in commerce streams. However, students of all fields can apply for the company secretary course.
The company secretary course is offered by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). The Institute of Company Secretaries of India constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980, is a government-recognized professional body in India to develop and regulate the profession of Company Secretaries and produces the Company Secretaries in India. Company Secretary is the most pivotal post in a company, they are considered as the concise seeker of the company. They are responsible for handling the legal aspect of the firm.
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India provides training to the candidates aspiring to pursue CS. The CS programmes are conducted at three levels by ICSI.
Table of Contents
Company Secretary: Level of Exam
- CS Executive Entrance Test (CSEET), previously called as Foundation Programme
- Executive Programme
- Professional Programme
Company Secretary: Course Duration
The following are the details of the course duration
|
Level |
Course |
Duration |
| 1 | CSEET (erstwhile Foundation Programme) | 8 months |
| 2 | Executive Programme | 9 months |
| 3 | Professional Programme | 10 months |
| 4 | Training | 15 months |
Company Secretary: Exam Highlights
|
Highlights |
Details |
| Exam Name | ICSI CS Exam |
| Exam Conducting Body | Institute of Company Secretaries of India |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year |
| Exam Mode | Online & Offline |
| Exam Purpose | Training and certifying Company Secretaries of India |
| Courses Offered | Company Secretary Certification |
| Official Website | https://www.icsi.edu/home/ |
Company Secretary: Skillset Needed
There are some skillsets needed for becoming a Company secretary. They are as follows:
- Strong Communication Skills
- Expertise in Company Law
- Good command over written and spoken English
- Good time management and multitasking
- Proficient with numbers
- Demanding planner
Company Secretary: Advantages and Disadvantages
|
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| The demand for CS is increasing | ICSI has no recognition abroad |
| Growth is very high with good remunerations | A lot of pressure with huge responsibilities |
Company Secretary: Job Roles
- Company Registrar
- Legal Advisor
- Chief Administrative Officer
- Corporate Planner
- Principal Secretary
- Corporate Policymaker
- Member of Board of Directors
- Top Colleges to Pursue
- Long Term Internship Programme or Practical or Articleship Training: This is a long-term internship programme where you have to train under specified entities. The duration of the programme is either one, two or three years depending on when the training commences. We will talk more about this later. You can also gain exemptions from this training depending on your work experience
- Management Skills Orientation Programme (MSOP): The ICSI MSOPis a 15-day programme to be taken after completion of all training/exemptions from
In today’s blog, we’ll be focusing on CS Practical Training and what it has to offer, and what you can expect.
What is CS Practical Training?
The CS Practical Training programme is a long term internship program where you train under one of the following entities:
- With a company having a minimum paid-up share capital of Rupees fifty lakhs
- With a Company Secretary in Practice
- With the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Registrar of Companies, Regional Directors, Official Liquidator, Banks, Law Firms, Consultancy Firms, Financial Institutions, LLPs, Government Bodies & Departments, PSU.
Note: You need to make sure that the Companies, Company Secretaries in Practice, and other organizations are registered with the Institute for imparting training.
Duration of CS Practical Training
Now, depending on when you start your practical training, the duration varies. The table below shows the breakdown:
|
Duration of CS Practical Training |
|
| Particulars |
Duration |
| After registration to CS Executive programme | 3 years’ training required |
| After passing CS Executive programme | 2 years’ training required |
| After passing CS Professional Exam | 1-year training required |
Now, during the training, you will need to submit quarterly reports and project reports. Let’s look at what those are.
Quarterly Report and Project Report
You need to submit a project report every 3 months during the training programme. This works out to be:
- 4 reports for the one-year training programme
- 8 reports for the two-year training programme
- 12 reports for the three-year training programme
Also, at the end of your training, you will need to submit a final project report on any subject/topic assigned by your trainer.
If you are eligible for exemption, fill up and submit a CS Practical Training Exemption form along with these documents
CS Executive Entrance Test (CSEET )
CS Foundation course has been scrapped. CSEET is the new replacement for the foundation exam. CSEET is the mandatory qualifying test for all categories of students for registration to the CS Executive Programme except with a few exceptions.
Eligibility Criteria of CSEET
- A candidate appearing /passed in the Senior Secondary (10+2) examinations or equivalent thereto is eligible to appear for CSEET.
- Graduates and postgraduates in any stream from a recognized university or its equivalent are eligible to register directly to the CS Executive program, but are also required to pass the CSEET to become is eligible for registration for the Executive programme.
Exemptions:
- Candidates who have passed CS Foundation Programme are exempted from CSEET without the payment of any exemption fees.
- Candidates who have passed the Final Examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and /or The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) are exempted from CSEET and shall have to pay Rs. 5000 as an exemption fee at the time of registration to CS Executive Programme.
CSEET Exam Pattern
The CSEET consists of Computer Based Test and Viva-Voice. CSEET is an Objective type or Multiple choice question and Viva Voice is a written and communication skill test.
| CSEET – Computer Based Test (CBT) | |||
|
Subjects |
Number of Questions | Total Marks |
Duration |
| Business Communication | 35 | 50 | 120 minutes |
| Legal Aptitude and Logical Reasoning | 35 | 50 | |
| Economic and Business Environment | 35 | 50 | |
| Current Affairs | 15 | 20 | |
| CSEET – Viva Voice | |||
| Presentation & Communication Skills | 30 | 15 minutes | |
| Total | 200 | 135 minutes | |
Note: There is no negative marking in CSEET.
Final Score: The Final score will be calculated by adding the marks secured by the candidates in both the Computer-based test and Viva’s voice.
CSEET Passing Criteria: Candidates will be declared as PASS on scoring 40% in each paper and 50% marks in aggregate.
CS Executive Programme
This is the second stage of the CS. The candidate who has cleared the CSEET exam is eligible to apply for CS Executive Programme. It is conducted by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
CS Executive Programme Highlights
| Highlights | Details |
| Exam Name | CS Executive Programme |
| Exam Conducting Body | Institute of Company Secretaries of India |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year |
| Exam Mode | Pen & Paper Based (Offline) |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam Medium | English & Hindi |
| Exam Purpose | Training and certifying Company Secretaries of India |
| Courses Offered | Company Secretary Certification |
| Official Website | https://www.icsi.edu/home/ |
Eligibility Criteria of CS Executive Programme
Age Limit: The candidate should be 17 years or more on the date of application.
Qualification:
- A candidate must have passed the CSEET for registering in CS Executive Programme.
- Graduates and postgraduates in any stream from a recognized university or its equivalent are eligible for registration in CS Executive program.
Exemption
- Candidates who have passed the entrance examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India( ICAI) or the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) can register directly for the Executive program.
- Graduate in any discipline except Fine Arts, candidates can register directly for the Executive program.
- Candidates who have cleared the CA CPT of ICAI or Foundation Examination of ICAI (erstwhile ICWAI) can register directly for the Executive program.
CS Executive Programme Exam Pattern
| Highlights | Details |
| Exam Mode | Pen & Paper Based (Offline) |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam Medium | English & Hindi |
| Exam Format | Objective & Subjective |
| Number of Paper | 2 Modules -4 papers in each modules |
| Number of Questions | Objective Paper: 100 MCQs
Subjective Paper: 6 questions each divided in 4 parts |
| Marking Scheme | 0.25 mark deducted for each wrong answer |
Subjectwise Exam Pattern
| Paper | Subjects | Format | Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | Jurisprudence, Interpretation and General Laws (Module -1) | Subjective | 100 | 3 hours |
| Paper 2 | Securities Laws and Capital Markets (Module-2) | Subjective | 100 | |
| Paper 3 | Company Law (Module-1) | Subjective | 100 | |
| Paper 4 | Economic, Business and Commercial Laws (Module-2) | Subjective | 100 | |
| Paper 5 | Setting up of Business Entities and Closure (Module-2) | Subjective | 100 | |
| Paper 6 | Corporate and Management Accounting (Module-1) | Objective | 100 | |
| Paper 7 | Tax Laws (Module-1) | Objective | 100 | |
| Paper 8 | Financial and Strategic Management (Module-2) | Objective | 100 |
CS Executive Programme Passing Criteria
- Candidates need to score a minimum of 40 marks in each subject.
- The aggregate should be a minimum of 200 marks in each module.
- For both the group the total should be a minimum of 400 marks
CS Professional Programme
The candidate must go through three stages of examination for becoming a Company Secretary. The Professional programme is the final stage of the Company Secretary three-year professional exam. The exam is conducted by ICSI and it is the toughest exam of all three exams. It has a vast syllabus having three modules.
CS Professional Programme Highlights
| Highlights | Details |
| Exam Name | CS Professional Programme |
| Exam Conducting Body | Institute of Company Secretaries of India |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year |
| Exam Mode | Pen & Paper Based (Offline) |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours each paper |
| Exam Medium | English & Hindi |
| Exam Purpose | Training and certifying Company Secretaries of India |
| Courses Offered | Company Secretary Certification |
| Official Website | https://www.icsi.edu/home/ |
Eligibility Criteria
- The candidate must qualify both groups of the CS Executive Programme.
- A minimum of 8 months gap is needed between the registration and the CS Professional Examination.
CS Professional Programme Exam Pattern
| Highlights | Details |
| Exam Mode | Pen & Paper Based (Offline) |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam Medium | English & Hindi |
| Exam Format | Objective & Subjective |
| Number of Paper | 9 |
Subjectwise Exam Pattern
| Module 1 | ||
| Paper 1: Part | Subjects | Marks |
| Part 1 | Governance | 50 |
| Part 2 | Risk Management | 20 |
| Part 3 | Compliance | 20 |
| Part 4 | Ethics & Sustainability | 10 |
| Paper 2 | ||
| Part 1 | Indirect Taxes | 70 |
| Goods and Service Taxes (GST) | 60 | |
| Custom Laws | 10 | |
| Part 2 | Direct Taxes & International Taxation | 30 |
| Paper 3 | Drafting, Appearance, and Pleadings( DAP) | 100 |
| Module 2 | ||
| Paper 4 | ||
| Part 1 | Compliance Management | 40 |
| Part 2 | Secretarial Audit & Due Diligence | 60 |
| Paper 5 | ||
| Part 1 | Corporate Restructuring | 50 |
| Part 2 | Insolvency & Liquidation | 50 |
| Paper 6 | Resolution of Corporates Disputes, Non-Compliance & Remedies (RCDNCR) | 100 |
| Module 3 | ||
| Paper 7 | ||
| Part 1 | Corporate Funding | 60 |
| Part 2 | Listing in Stock Exchange | 40 |
| Paper 8 | Multidisciplinary Case Studies | 100 |
| Paper 9 | Electives – 1 out of 8
1. Banking: Law & Practice (BLP) 2. Insurance: Law & Practice (ILP) 3. Intellectual Property Rights-Law & Practice (IPRLP) 4. Forensic Audit (FA) 5. Direct Tax Law & Practice (DTLP) 6. Labor Law & Practice (LLP) 7. Valuation & Business Modelling (VBM) 8. Insolvency- Law & Practice (ILP) |
100 each |
Note: Paper 8 & Paper 9 will be an Open book examination.
CS Professional Programme Passing Criteria
After qualifying for the Professional Examination the candidate has to undergo 15 months of Management Training in Companies sponsored by the Institute under the guidance of a Company Secretary in Practice.
On clearing all the three stages of the CS program and successful completion of the training, a candidate gets the membership of ICSI to become a Company Secretary. Candidates get admitted as an Associate Member of the ICSI and can use Associate Company Secretary (ACS) after their name.
CS Course Duration
- Foundation Programme: The Course Duration of the CS Foundation Programme is 8 Months. The Course Completion should be passed within the time limit of 3 years from the period of admission.
- Executive Programme: The Course Duration of the CS Executive Programme is 9 months.
- Professional Programme: The Course Duration of the CS Professional Programme is 10 months.
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